El Beril beach beautiful in the sunshine as it passes stormy weather with flying colours

On:25 November 2018

Photo. Snowbird.

Updated 25 November: Despite fears that the new beach would have been damaged or even swept away entirely in the recent bad weather, it has stood up to the elements perfectly well, and as normal weather returns, Snowy has sent me some photos of what it’s like … in the sun, in all its glory! Beautiful.

Updated 23 April: And, after today’s official opening, here is the finished beach.

Photo: Nigel and Wendy Armitage

Updated 20 April: At long last El Beril beach is to opened. Adeje Ayuntamiento is holding the official inauguration this Monday, 23 April, at midday, a formal act that will be attended by the Canarian Government subdelegado Guillermo Díaz Guerra, Tenerife president Carlos Alonso, the new Canarian Government tourism minister Cristóbal de la Rosa, chief of Provincial Costas José Manuel Fojo Barroso, mayor of Adeje José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga, Adeje urban planning councillor Ermitas Moreira, and urban technician Uberto Rodríguez.

The new beach, whose concessionary is Sociedad Urbanizadora El Beril S.A., has been instigated and administered by Sociedad Explotadora Playa del Duque S.L., part of Compañía de las Islas Occidentales (CIO) whose president, Francisco Javier Zamorano, will also be at the official opening. The refurbishment works to the beach and the widening of the paseo marítimo have cost around €2m.

(I’ve removed the photos from the posts below of works in progress for reasons of space).

Updated 3 April 2018: Hoteliers association Ashotel has called on the public authorities to get their act together for the new El Beril beach to be opened. Ashotel says that the beach has been finished for a month but remains “pending bureaucratic procedures”. Only this last weekend, the Policía Local had to evict users who decided to celebrate Easter on the beach and had simply jumped over the security fence, which Ashotel says is not worthy of the name.

Ashotel says that according to information it has received, the beach cannot be opened because it some facilities are still outstanding which need licences to be issued to those who have won beach concessions to provide services. The association says that it would be a different matter if it were a case of public health issues, or something that made use of the beach impracticable, but for pure bureaucracy and given the lateness of the season already, there is little sense in it remaining out of commission, especially when other beaches which are open themselves lack sunbeds or lifeguard services.

Original post 29 October 2016: Adeje Ayuntamiento has announced that up to €2m is to be spent on works to improve the swimming zone along the strand that flanks El Duque beach by the Hotel Bahía del Duque. El Beril beach will also get a facelift as part of the plan, given its location in part of the tourist zone that continues to grow in popularity.

Adeje tourism councillor Ermitas Moreira García and Municipal Works councillor Carmen Rosa González Cabrera say that the work to recondition the beach is part of overall improvements being made to the Costa Adeje public and private infrastructures. The managing concessionary of the area added that since the beach has not to date fully met the needs of the growing number of users, it was felt vital “to put an improvement plan in place that could adapt the bathing zone to meet the new needs of the resident and visitor population, while also respecting the environmental needs of the area. The changes will give the area added value”.

The works will see an enlargement in the sandy zone to cater for the increased number of beach users during the year. Using local stone, the plan is to create a dry sandy zone of 14,000 square metres, three new beach accesses for people with reduced mobility, ramps throughout the beach zone, showers adapted for all users, and wooden walkways, adequate rubbish bins, etc. There will also be improvements to the five existing steps down to the beach from the pedestrian area.

Works have already started which does mean that for the time being there are some restrictions and barriers in place for the safety of pedestrians.

60 Comments

I’d just like to know when they are going to update the stretch from Jardin Tropical to El Faro including Puerto Colon as it is a blot on the landscape with dangerous, brojen pavements and no disabled access.

Dear Snowbird you are wrong. The Green Turtles feed within two metres of the pebbles. We have watched and swum with them in this exact location for the last 6 years. Many people sit on the concrete beches daily and watch them. Just sit and watch in front of the La Caleta cocktail bar. Daily we have seen turtles and swam with them. I have even requested signs from Adeje Environment to raise awareness of the protected Green Turtles and I know understand why they did not reply. If you send me your email I will send you photographic evidence of the turtles inside the lagoon. They feed mainly on the algae on the boulders in front of the cocktail bar and even hide amongst them when swimmers are near. I have video of such behaviour. I am willing to meet and actually show you the turtles either from the pebbled area or in the lagoon.

Apologies Nick I was unaware that the turtles are in that location. That is not where the pleasure boats go to watch them though as far as I am aware. I will take your word for it and look for them the next time I pass the El Beril and the Riu Hotel.

Yes, there are turtles at this location and I have often observed them, however they are difficult to see, because they only quickly pop their heads up for air every two minutes or so. Unfortunately the new beach will probably not be to their liking.

Hi Snowbird – no problem, They have been a fantastic secret for some years – happily existing so close to Del Duque busy beach for years. Earlier this year I wrote to Adeje council asking for Turtle information signs along the improvement walkway similar to the ones in San Juan. I now know why I received NO REPLY. I have put a photo of one of the turtles on Janets facebook in my reply to Janet. I hope to post a video of two of the turtles feeding and meeting one another clearly showing the pebble embankment.
Thanks Nick

You are right Nick it is a fantastic secret (although now probably not!). I have been walking along that stretch of promenade on and off for 10 years and never knew about the turtles. Perhaps they are there because of the fish feed in the water from the offshore fish farms behind the turtles.

Nick, put a new post on my Facebook page, with that photo. That way I can share it to the media timeline (I can’t share the comment you’ve made because it’s a reply to a post of mine). I don’t know what good it might do but someone might see it who can do something, or it might increase public awareness.

Fantastic – thank you Janet. i also have a video showing the pebbles and going into the sea findinding 2 turtles – all within 3.26 seconds! I am in the Caribbean at the moment (hence strange comment times?) and I cannot upload the video at the moment.
Nick
ps Snowbird – the turtles might eat the fish feed as well as the algae but they do eat the algae and I have watched them do this for several hours at a time! Please see the photos on Janets facebook – one showing one eating.

El Beril Improvement zone. After watching the work on the improvement zone over the last few weeks I am further convinced a “dry sandy beach” is impossible without a) substantial work on the external barriers being done and the b) proposed beach being created a couple of metres higher. I do hope it works out though and that the turtles return!

I am incredibly saddened by the work here with no respect for the environmental impact the lagoon is now shrouded in sediment and the turtles together with numerous species of fish will be long gone. If it is to recover it will take many years. Don’t bother bringing your snorkel here.

Yes Mike I agree. The vast majority of the boulders where the algae grew have been removed. Any left will be `drowned by the tons of sand pushed and washed` into the bay (and out). The bay is probably `dead` environmentally speaking at present indicated by the brown sea. The desire to achieve ” a dry area of over 14,000 square meters with an average width of over 43 meters” was unrealistic and currently is an environmental disaster – especially when authorities were aware of protected Green Turtles feeding there daily. Very very sad.

Has anyone any news on a completion date? The seven month completion date of April has gone and work seems to be a daily, “push of sand war” between the sea and recently a single JCB. The waves have been washing up to the back walkway wall for the last few days. Where the, “average width of 43 metres of dry beach”, is I do not know. There was more dry beach at both corners of this bay before the 1.6 million euro work was started! ps The sea is winning!

This morning I have watched previously bulldozed sand (into the sea ) being dug out by a new JCB and being piled up by the Chillout Bar. At the other end is a floating platform with generator and it looks like they are almost ready to begin sucking sand from that corner? Along the sand roadway on the beach is a small levee which is ready to be washed into the sea with any above average sea. Anyone got an official update?

We were last here in January. In seven months, there appears to have been zero progress to create the beach. If this is at the cost of significant environmental damage, as others have written, this is very sad.

We watched the farcical progress last winter and have come to the conclusion that the huge amounts spent would have been better served by improving the coastal footpaths as the sea washed away the man made beaches daily.When we return for winter in October I don’t think it will look any different.It makes you wonder how experienced these so call expensive consultants and civil engineers who advised the council about the project are.

Yesterday afternoon waves were rebounding all along the back wall below the promenade. Some waves even splashed onto the promenade in front of the Riu. Sand was washed up onto the promenade during Friday night. A dry sand area could barely be seen never mind the huge intended 14000 square metre dry sandy zone. Sand was being washed into Playa Del Duque from the near corner. The DAILY depositing of brown dusty sand into the bay is killing more sea life and the feeding flock of gulls – last week in particular – confirms this. The recent attempts to pump out the deposited brown sludge were futile (but well intended) and wasted 3 weeks. Next month will be the first anniversary of the 7 month project. Very very.

Our family has come to Tenerife for >30 years, 12 of which I have enjoyed snorkeling in this bay. The aquatic life was amazing. Last year I managed to swim across the bay and was totally blown away by the different shoals of fish life. I’m totally devastated to see the destruction. Those who made the decision to change this beach never swam in it nor did sufficient survey to understand the currents. I’m totally heartbroken and now question visiting these parts of Tenerife.

Totally agree Christine – along with the total destruction of the boulders that held the algae that daily fed the so called “protected Green Turtles”, that i made the Adeje Council aware of (June 2016 to no response). When and if ever opened the Del Duque end of the bay will be lethal to swimmers. So sad.

We have been visiting this area for several years, it is very sad to see what is happening. What a shame for the environment…
Are there any pictures of the current works available on the internet and do you have any idea when the works will be finished?
Thank you.

Just had a look down at the `progress`. The shower areas are being created at the bottom of the easy access ramps. I can report that as more sand is added to the beach the beach proportionately gets higher. The height of the beach now has caused a one meter high sand cliff measuring approximately 80m in length along the beach. Access to the sea in this area will be difficult for everyone. The height of the beach by the RIU corner is only 2 -3 feet from the top of the wall. Waves experienced in recent years will cause problems on the walkway (which has already been witnessed in front of the Chill Out bar which is approx 2 m higher. Exiting times ahead?

We are going to stay at RIU Palace Adeje in January 28, 2018 for two weeks and looking forward to have a peace and quite holiday. Can anyone inform if the beach work still going on will be disturbing and when the work is finnished.

It was still going on three weeks ago but I don’t think that it should really disturb you. I think that they are in the finishing off phase (or at least I hope they are). What is unpleasant is the metal fencing that is all along the promenade. Hopefully this will disappear soon. I should be able to update you next week 😀

Hello Agnete
I walked along the promenade by the beach this evening. It looks to me that it is more or less finished. The new beach showers are finished and new rope has been put in the promenade railing; all accesses to the beach are constructed. I was told that it will be opened on the 20th January by one of the bar personnel on the promenade. They still have to remove the construction fencing, some boulders and the construction site camp.
I don’t think you will be disturbed when you come.

Thank you snowbird for your reassuring message. I have been worried because we were visited Riu Palace at the same period last year and it was a terrible noise all the time. We can now look forward to have a peaceful and enjoy our vacation this time. Very sorry to hear that the turtles have disappeared. Let us hope they will be back in the future. Have a nice weekend.

Are they going to resurface the promenade? This was talked about when I was there in December and toilets were definitely part of the initial plan. If anyone has up to date news about the removal of fencing and beach opening it would be great.
Tui are sending out letters aboutcwork in the ravine ( dry river bed) between Riu and Sheraton. Any information about this would be great. Thanks,

Adeje Ayuntamiento has confirmed to me that that this is not a council-run operation. Apparently it’s being done by Costas. Unfortunately that makes it much more difficult to get ready information but I am trying.

The reason why there was a 4 metre pebble embankment to the del duque side of the “improved” beach was “longshore drift”. The improvements have done nothing to alter this tidal process. The sand will creep down towards del duque beach hence spoiling that beach too with the dark sand now being seen in del duque beach. More worrying is the dry “sewage overflow” seen (Janets photo and mine on Janets FBk page) behind the almost burried bins. This sewage overflow freely runs onto the del duque beaches as the system cannot cope during heavy rain. This particular overflow originates from the sewage manhole by the Chillout bar with the concrete bin placed on the lid. This remedy obviously is insufficient. Whilst on with sewage there appears to be an outlet of treated?? sewage in the middle of the “new beach” from the pumping station between Altamira and Riu. I do hope I am wrong but see if you can spot the discharge.

On reflection I think it does not bode well when Adeje Ayuntamiento has confirmed that this is not a council-run operation. Apparently it’s being done by Costas. The councillors were very happy to very publically announce the 2 million euro scheme in October 2016! Completion May 2017? (7 months as per sign) 🙁

The beach had been resurfaced after the storm and is still closed . At the far end walking to Caleta there is a new road over the flood control channel and they are also in the process of building a bridge to walk over on the rare occasions this dry barranco is impassible due to heavy rain.

There are very recent photos in the post above, and if you read the latest update at the top you will see that the beach has been finished for a while but remains “pending bureaucratic procedures”. Hopefully someone will answer about the bridge.

I am reliably informed that there is considerable activity today with men in suits walking around and new sunbeds being placed on the beach and a wooden walkway being constructed on the beach. Watch this space!!

Hello, I have been reading that the work in the barranco is substantial and noisy and they are still working on the sea front?
We are due to arrive at the end of June for a much needed holiday and recuperation. Any update on the progress of this work would be appreciated.
Thank you.

I posted a comment on my observations on El Beril this time last year. My fears are confirmed. Having snorkelled within El Beril this year, there is a fraction of aquatic life that used to be and the sea is cloudy. The sand imported exceeds the pebbles that used to be there.

There are plenty of people swimming and sun bathing but they have no idea of what’s been lost. It will take years to recover, if ever. I have no doubt the next storm will bring significant movement and bring further destruction.

This site uses cookies because it needs them for optimal functionality. They also help reader experiences. No information is stored other than email addresses freely entered by those wishing to comment, and this information is not used for any other purpose nor shared. As far as I'm aware this makes In Tenerife compliant with EU legislation but if you have any concerns or wish your details deleted, please just email help@janetanscombe,com, or you can simply disable cookies for this site in your browser. More info